


Lucelence

by killerxcanaries



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Lights, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Inspired by Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Light Angst, Max Richman Loves Zoey Clarke, Zoey Clarke Loves Max Richman, max and emily friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:29:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28837824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerxcanaries/pseuds/killerxcanaries
Summary: lucelence (adj.) the state of being fine and beautiful; shining; brilliantChristmas was always Mitch's favorite holiday, and he would decorate every inch of the house with his family weeks in advance. The first Christmas without Mitch, the family's house is left completely bare.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke & Max Richman, Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Lucelence

The first winter after Mitch had died was not easy for the Clarke family, to say the least. Winter was always Mitch's favorite season, and he decorated both the inside and outside of their house for Christmas as if his life depended on it. Zoey, David, and Maggie were always eager to help, and for the last few years before Mitch's diagnosis he had roped Emily and Max to get involved and help out as well.

The winter after Mitch had died, though, the house was bare for the first two weeks of December. The family had constant frowns on their faces whenever they were in the household, and when they had left their expressions hadn't changed much. Max noticed the way Zoey tried to hide her sadness under a smile that never quite reached her eyes whenever they were together, and knew that the wintertime itself was at least partially-responsible for her sadness.

Max knew that if Mitch had still been alive he would have had the family work together to decorate the house, but also understood that the family might be wary of taking part in a family tradition so soon after losing the primary partaker in the tradition itself. Still, Max knew that it would also pain them in not seeing any decorations around the house even more, so he knew that he had to take matters into his own hands.

Max had gotten in contact with Emily, who had agreed to be part of getting the family out of the house, as she also recognized their dejected attitudes as of late. Emily had told Maggie that she and David wanted to get out of the house and go out to dinner together, so Emily, David, Maggie, and Zoey all went out that Saturday night. Emily sent a text off to Max before smiling softly to herself, turning her attention back to the table.

**They just arrived. I'll stall for as long as possible. LMK when you finish :)**

Max looked down at his phone and quickly sent a group text off before driving to the Clarke's household. He had been parked a block away in order to get there quicker, pulling up and unlocking the door with the key that Maggie had given Max once he became a regular to their family events. Max started unloading boxes from his trunk and bringing them into the house, Joan showing up a few minutes later and grabbing boxes out of her car as well. Once everyone had arrived, Max let out a soft sigh.

"Okay, so we all know the deal, right?" Max asked as he clasped his hands together, receiving nods from everyone.

Tobin and Leif began working on the living room, Mo and Simon began working on the entryway, and Max and Joan headed to the front yard as they heard Mo turn on his Christmas playlist.

"Hey, Joan?" Max asked as he was hanging up lights across the front of the house and Joan was handing them up to him. "How's Zoey been at work lately?"

Joan shrugged.

"It's been tough on her, that's for sure. She's been keeping up with the work, but she's nowhere near as happy as usual."

Max frowned, hanging up the last bit of the lights around the mailbox before grabbing another box and starting to nail wooden figures into the ground while Joan held them. They had finished all of the outside work within forty-five minutes, a small smile resting on both of their faces.

"She's gonna love this," Joan said as she put a hand on Max's shoulder, and he looked over at his former boss before looking back at the house and nodding.

"Yeah, hopefully she will. I wish Mitch was here to see this too."

"He's looking down on all of you right now, Max. I know you were close to him, and he couldn't forget that, even up in heaven right now. He appreciates how you've taken over for him."

"He was like another father to me, and it was hard watching him as his condition worsened. I'm glad that he's not in pain anymore, but I just wish things were different for him and their whole family."

Joan nodded softly, following Max as they walked inside and found that the entire inside of the house looked more Christmas-like than even the heavily-decorated Christmas sections at a store. Max's smile grew wider at the sight.

"This looks incredible, guys," he said, and everyone looked over at him. "They're gonna love it."

"Max," Joan called from her spot near the door, and Max turned around to follow her gaze outside, seeing that it had suddenly started snowing.

He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"Wow."

His phone went off and he pulled it out of his pocket, seeing a new message from Emily on it.

**We're getting the check any minute. Need me to stall for longer?**

Max typed back a response before sending it and putting his phone back in his pocket again.

**We just finished, you're all good to go. Thanks, Emily**

"Emily just texted that they're paying the check now and then they'll be back."

"I can't wait to see the look on Zo-Zo's face when she sees all this," Mo said, gesturing around the room.

"Man, if she wasn't in love with you before, she'll definitely fall harder for you now," Tobin said nonchalantly, and Max's eyes instantly went wide.

"She uh...Zoey and I are friends, Tobin. That's it."

"Uh huh. I was your boss for years, Max. It was pretty obvious that there was a lot more to your relationship with each other than a friendship. Even if you're not together romantically right now, there's obvious romantic feelings from both sides that're there," Joan said with a smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest, and Max felt a blush creeping up his neck.

"Okay, I asked you all here to help me decorate, not to tell me that my best friend and I love each other as more than friends," Max said, looking back down at his phone to hide from the smirks being cast in his direction by the other members in the room.

"Do what it whatever you decide to do, but it's clear from the way Zoey looks at you that she's in love with you, Max," Leif said, and Max let out a sigh as he looked up and looked around at everyone staring so intently at him.

"Can we uh...is everything all done? Can we either finish up or talk about something else?"

When nobody moved an inch Max ran a hand down his face, glancing out the door before looking back at everyone.

"Fine. Yeah, I'm in love with Zoey, and I have been for a while now," Max said, getting a text and pulling his phone out.

**Around the corner :)**

Max quickly put his phone in his pocket before looking at the others.

"They're home. Anyone else coming out?" he asked, and everyone followed Max as he walked out.

Max put his hands in his front pockets out of nervousness, watching as David pulled into the family's driveway and the family just sat there, staring at the house for a few moments before getting out. Zoey was the first one to get out of the back seat, followed by the rest of the shocked family. Zoey walked a few feet towards the group of people near their family's house as tears welled up in her eyes.

"What..." she trailed off, and once her eyes met Max's he shrugged.

"I know that Christmas was Mitch's favorite, and you all used to always decorate with him for the holidays. Since Mitch wasn't here to decorate, I couldn't watch your house just go bare for this winter, so I asked for some help."

Zoey shook her head, hands flying up to cover her mouth as tears began to stream down her face.

"How did you even know we were going to be out tonight?" Maggie asked, tears in her eyes, and Max's eyes landed on Emily.

"Max and I have been texting for weeks, and I filled him in on our status all night," Emily said, and David wrapped his wife in a tight hug.

Zoey ran towards Max, who pulled his hands out of his pockets and was immediately ready to catch the girl as she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered, burying her face against the crook of Max's neck as he felt her tears start to make his shoulder wet.

"I'd do anything for you, Zo, no matter what," Max whispered.

Before anything else could be said Zoey had pulled back a few inches from the hug and had captured Max's lips in a kiss, making his eyes go wide as he kissed her back instantly. Cheers could be heard from Joan, Mo, Simon, Tobin, and Leif, a huge smile on Maggie face.

"Yeah, Clarkeman!" Emily yelled, making the two pull back until their foreheads were touching and Max laughed softly.

"I love you so much, Max. Seriously, thank you for this," Zoey said softly.

Max reached a hand up and wiped away some of her tears with his thumb, smiling wider.

"I love you more, Zoey. I have for a long time."

Zoey smiled wider, and Max leaned forward to press his lips against hers one more time before pulling back.

"There's stuff set up inside too, if you ever wanna go check that out," he said quietly, and her eyes went wide.

"Really?" she whispered, her eyes lit up in shock and love, and Max smiled and nodded.

The two stepped back from the little world they had been engrossed in to see everyone watching them with huge smiles on their faces.

"It's nice seeing you so happy right now, Zoey. It's been some time since we saw that smile of yours, and it looks really good on you," Maggie said, and Zoey let out a soft laugh as she leaned against Max's side.

The small group all headed inside, with Zoey and Max going in behind them and the rest of Zoey's family trailing in behind the two. Zoey's eyes immediately filled back up with tears as soon as she looked around, seeing that as much as she thought her dad went all-out for the holidays, her friends had gone above and beyond in making it seem festive in their house.

"Guys," Zoey whispered, looking around at the group. "I...I don't even know what to say. This is incredible, thank you all."

She stepped forward and pulled Leif and Tobin into a group hug, and then moved on to hug Mo.

"Keep that man close, alright? Anyone that goes crazy like this for you is worth keeping," Mo whispered, and Zoey smiled wider with a nod.

"I wouldn't dream of getting rid of him, Mo. Never in a million years."

Zoey hugged Joan next, who hugged her tightly.

"I'm really sorry that the holidays are so hard, but all of us are always going to be here for all of you whenever you need us to be," she said, and Zoey smiled softly.

"Thanks, Joan. We really appreciate it."

"Okay, okay, who wants hot cocoa?" Mo asked, receiving a raised hand from everyone else in the group.

"I'll help," Maggie said softly, hugging the other three guests before following Mo.

Joan followed as well, Maggie and Joan beginning a conversation in the kitchen while the hot chocolates were being made.

"Seriously, man? Mitch would be so proud," David said as he hugged Max, who smiled softly.

"I had to find a way to keep his legacy alive, and since it seemed like it wasn't very festive over here lately, I know he would've wanted it to be a little more Christmas-like."

"He would've absolutely loved it," Emily said softly.

Zoey slipped her hand into Max's, making him smile as he looked down on her. The group sat on the couches and on chairs that had been brought into the room, with Mitch's spot being left open, as they watched Christmas movies on the television and sipped their hot chocolates before leaving later that night with the promises to keep in touch. Max and Zoey shared one last goodbye kiss that night under the mistletoe that Moe had strategically placed right inside the doorway at some point while being there, and Zoey headed upstairs with a huge smile on her face and a giddy feeling radiating throughout her body.

She opened the door to her bedroom and was hit with an even stronger wave of love, though, when she saw that there were fairy lights hung all over the ceiling, paper snowflakes hanging down from pieces of yarn, and a stuffed Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer on her bed, accompanied by a note that read:

 **Rudolph lit the** **sky** **with his nose** **,** **and you light up my life and the lives of everyone else around you :) - Max**


End file.
